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Medals

The Leopoldina confers awards in the form of medals and prizes in recognition of outstanding scientific achievements. Among the medals are the Cothenius Medal, the Carus Medal and since 2012 the Emperor Leopold I Medal.

The Cothenius Medal in gold, founded by the royal Prussian physician Christian Andreas Cothenius (1708–1789) is the most renowned disctinction of the Leopoldina, honouring a lifetime of scientific achievment of a Leopoldina member.

The Carus Medal results from a foundation dedicated to Carl Gustav Carus (1789–1869), XIII. president of the Leopoldina. Since 1961, it is tied to the Carus Prize of the city of Schweinfurt where the Leopoldina was founded. Both medal and prize are awarded to honour important scientific discoveries or achievements in a field represented by the Leopoldina.

To recognize excellent scientific achievements in the field of molecular biology and genetics, the Leopoldina confers the Mendel Medal since 1965, named after the founder of genetics Gregor Mendel (1822–1884). The Schleiden Medal honours extraordinary advances in cell research since 1955. Medals of Merit are awarded to members “for exceptional service to the ideals and good of the Academy”.

In 2012, the Leopoldina introduced the Emperor Leopold I Medal, which is awarded to public figures who have rendered outstanding services to science.